Swift



March 4, 1930. E. R. ALDERMAN 1,749,460

SWIFT Filed Sept. '7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR,

1 March 4,1930. E. R. ALDERMAN 1,749,460

SWIFT Filed Sept. 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' IN V EN TOR.

I A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 4, 1930 EUGENE R. ALDERMAN, OF SOUTH HADLEY, MASSACHUSETTSSWIFT Application filed. September 7, 1928. Serial No. 304,540.

My invention relates to collapsible swifts such as are used forsupporting skeins of yarn in various winding operations. One object ofthe invention is to provide a swift 5 of this character which will becompact and self-contained and will offer no parts upon which the yarnmay catch. A further object is to provide a swift which may be readilycollapsed and which at the same time is substantially rigid when in.operation.

Other and further objects will appear from the following description andclaims.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a swift embodying 15my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section at one side thereof on an enlarged scale; a

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a central section;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the swift in we panded position; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the swift collapsed.

The swift is carried by a hub structure comprising a supporting shaft towhich are fixed spaced hubs 11. Surrounding both of the hubs androtatable thereupon is a sleeve 12. This sleeve bears sockets 13 intowhich are set arms 14, arranged incircumferentially spaced pairs. Itwill be noted that these arms extend substantially radially outward- 1y,but that they diverge from each. other as they recede from the sleeve.

In each of the hub members 11 are formed sockets 15 adapted to receivearms 16 extending outwardly through slots 17 in the sleeve. These latterarms 16 are arranged in pairs similarly to arms 14 and in the normaloperation of the device are spaced intermediate the arms 14 as shown inFig. 4. The inner ends of the arms 16are preferably somewhat more widelyspaced than the arms 14 with the angle of divergence somewhat less sothat the outer ends of both sets of rods are substantially incircumferential alignment. A spring 18 is secured by a screw 19 to theshaft 10 and by a screw 20 to the inside of the sleeve 12. This springgives to the sleeve a constant tendency to rotate so that the rods 16are kept at the ends of the slot in which they are shown in Fig. 2.

When it is desired to collapse the swift, a pair of arms (indicated bythe brackets in Fig. 2) are grasped by the operator so that relativerotation of the sleeve and hub structure is caused. The rods 16 arethereby shifted to the opposite ends of the slots 17 and the spring 18is placed under additional torsional strain.

Preferably one or both of the sets of arms 14 and 16 are setnon-radially with respect to the hubs and sleeves. In the case shown,the arms 16 are non-radially set. The purpose of this is to bring theends of the arms 14 and G5 16 into substantial alignment when the swiftis contracted as shown in Fig. 5 without requiring the slots 17 to beextended close enough to the sockets 13 to weaken the structure or tocause interference between the inner ends of the two sets of arms. Uponrelease of the arms the spring will force the apparatus back into theposition of Figs. 2 and 4 in which the swift is expanded. It will beunderstood that suitable wires or cords 25 may be bridged betweenopposite arms of each pair in the customary manner to support the yarn.

What I claim is:

1. A swift comprising a hub structure, a sleeve surrounding the hubstructure and rotatable thereon and formed with circumferentially spacedpairs of slots, pairs of arms spaced circumferentially about the sleeveand secured thereto, pairs of arms secured to the hub structure andextending through the slots in the sleeve, and a spring connectionbetween the hub structure and the sleeve tending to hold the hub-securedarms at one end of the slots and spaced evenly between thesleeve-secured arms while permitting the hub structure to be rotatedrelative to the sleeve to bring the hub-secured arms adjacent thesleeve-secured arms.

2. A swift comprising a supporting shaft, spaced hubs secured to theshaft, a sleeve rotatable upon the hubs and formed withcircumferentially spaced pairs of slots, pairs of arms spacedoircumferentially about the sleeve and secured thereto, pairs of armsseme cured to the hubs and extending through the slots in the sleeve,and a spring coiled between the shaft and the sleeve tending to hold thehub-secured arms at one end of the slots and spaced evenly between thesleevesecured arms while permitting the hubs to be rotated relative tothe sleeve to bring the laub- I secured arms adjacent thesleeve-secured.

arms.

3. A swift comprising a hub structure, a sleeve surroundiii-gthehubstructure and re tatable thereon and formed with circumferentiallyspaced pairs of'slots,-pairs of arms secured to and spaced circumfer-entially about the sleeve, pairs or arms seured'to the hubstructureand extending'throughthe slots in the sleeve, the sleeve-supported armsand the"hub-supported arms. being spaced from each -other axially? andcircumferentially at their inner ends andjin substantial-circumferentialalignment at their outer ends, the arms of 'at least onesetbeingnon-radially mounted, and a spring connection between the hubstructure a-nd'tlie' sleeve tending to holdthe hub-secured arms at oneend of the slots? and spaced; evenly between the sleeve-securedarms-whilep'ermitting the hubstructureto be rotatdrelative to'thesleevetobring the hubsecured arms adjacent the sleeve "secured arms. r

In testimony whereof Ifhave afiixed "my signature. L EUGENE R. ALDERMAN.

